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Civil/structural engineer salary
Average civil/structural engineer salary
$74,421
Understanding Civil/Structural Engineer Salaries
The average salary for a civil/structural engineer in the United States is approximately $74,421 per year, translating to about $36 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on experience, location, and specialization. For example, entry-level engineers may start around $60,000, while those with extensive experience often earn above $100,000. The highest-paying states for this role include California, New York, and Texas, where demand for skilled engineers is high.
In addition to state variations, cities like San Francisco and New York City offer some of the most lucrative opportunities due to higher living costs and a robust job market. Many civil/structural engineers also find rewarding positions in government agencies, construction firms, and consulting companies, each offering unique challenges and benefits.
Exploring your options can lead to a fulfilling career. Whether you’re just starting or looking to advance, understanding salary trends and job opportunities is essential for making informed career decisions.
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Where can a Civil/Structural Engineer earn more?
Civil/structural engineer salaries by experience level
Average civil/structural engineer salary by state
The highest-paying states for civil/structural engineers are California, Alaska, and Washington. The lowest average civil/structural engineer salary states are Nebraska, Tennessee, and South Dakota.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for civil/structural engineers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $95,513 | $45.92 |
| 2 | Alaska | $84,103 | $40.43 |
| 3 | Washington | $79,826 | $38.38 |
| 4 | Nevada | $79,040 | $38.00 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $86,445 | $41.56 |
| 6 | Oregon | $75,930 | $36.50 |
| 7 | Utah | $73,970 | $35.56 |
| 8 | Maine | $74,664 | $35.90 |
| 9 | Oklahoma | $79,278 | $38.11 |
| 10 | Delaware | $75,147 | $36.13 |
| 11 | North Carolina | $75,154 | $36.13 |
| 12 | Idaho | $73,251 | $35.22 |
| 13 | Vermont | $73,541 | $35.36 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $79,145 | $38.05 |
| 15 | Texas | $71,749 | $34.49 |
| 16 | Virginia | $72,611 | $34.91 |
| 17 | New York | $75,474 | $36.29 |
| 18 | Indiana | $72,241 | $34.73 |
| 19 | Connecticut | $74,559 | $35.85 |
| 20 | Florida | $70,850 | $34.06 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $73,978 | $35.57 |
| 22 | Mississippi | $71,743 | $34.49 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $70,598 | $33.94 |
| 24 | Colorado | $69,163 | $33.25 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $68,210 | $32.79 |
| 26 | Alabama | $67,023 | $32.22 |
| 27 | Rhode Island | $72,128 | $34.68 |
| 28 | Montana | $65,876 | $31.67 |
| 29 | Illinois | $70,144 | $33.72 |
| 30 | Pennsylvania | $68,591 | $32.98 |
| 31 | Iowa | $67,494 | $32.45 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $68,638 | $33.00 |
| 33 | West Virginia | $66,414 | $31.93 |
| 34 | New Hampshire | $69,850 | $33.58 |
| 35 | North Dakota | $64,103 | $30.82 |
| 36 | New Mexico | $67,371 | $32.39 |
| 37 | Michigan | $64,350 | $30.94 |
| 38 | Arizona | $63,943 | $30.74 |
| 39 | Georgia | $63,412 | $30.49 |
| 40 | Maryland | $61,487 | $29.56 |
| 41 | Wisconsin | $63,539 | $30.55 |
| 42 | Missouri | $65,042 | $31.27 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $59,277 | $28.50 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $61,349 | $29.49 |
| 45 | Minnesota | $62,463 | $30.03 |
| 46 | Wyoming | $56,538 | $27.18 |
| 47 | Ohio | $60,613 | $29.14 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $56,856 | $27.33 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $58,418 | $28.09 |
| 50 | Kansas | $55,632 | $26.75 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $55,737 | $26.80 |
Highest paying cities for civil/structural engineers
The highest-paying cities for civil/structural engineers are San Francisco, CA, Vancouver, WA, and Newark, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $105,380 | $50.66 |
| 2 | Vancouver, WA | $81,603 | $39.23 |
| 3 | Newark, NJ | $79,242 | $38.10 |
| 4 | Raleigh, NC | $75,678 | $36.38 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $75,618 | $36.35 |
| 6 | Portland, OR | $75,235 | $36.17 |
| 7 | Newark, DE | $75,155 | $36.13 |
| 8 | Middletown, CT | $74,644 | $35.89 |
| 9 | Stoughton, MA | $74,251 | $35.70 |
| 10 | Salt Lake City, UT | $73,675 | $35.42 |
| 11 | Richmond, VA | $72,417 | $34.82 |
| 12 | Fort Worth, TX | $71,695 | $34.47 |
| 13 | Tampa, FL | $71,367 | $34.31 |
| 14 | Baton Rouge, LA | $70,767 | $34.02 |
| 15 | Chicago, IL | $70,268 | $33.78 |
| 16 | Denver, CO | $68,974 | $33.16 |
| 17 | Birmingham, AL | $66,939 | $32.18 |
| 18 | Saint Louis, MO | $65,345 | $31.42 |
| 19 | Kennesaw, GA | $63,537 | $30.55 |
| 20 | Omaha, NE | $59,259 | $28.49 |
Civil/structural engineer salary details
A civil/structural engineer's salary ranges from $52,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $104,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a civil/structural engineer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $104,000 | $8,667 | $50 |
| 75th Percentile | $89,000 | $7,417 | $43 |
| Average | $74,421 | $6,202 | $36 |
| 25th Percentile | $62,000 | $5,167 | $30 |
| 10th Percentile | $52,000 | $4,333 | $25 |
Highest paying civil/structural engineer jobs
The highest paying types of civil/structural engineers are resident engineer, senior structural engineer, and engineer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineer | $92,076 | $7,673 | $44.27 | 618,207 |
| Civil Designer | $58,421 | $4,868 | $28.09 | 57,036 |
| Professional Engineer | $86,348 | $7,196 | $41.51 | 74,009 |
| Resident Engineer | $96,425 | $8,035 | $46.36 | 31,388 |
| Civil Engineering Internship | $52,597 | $4,383 | $25.29 | 109,733 |
| Office Engineer | $89,581 | $7,465 | $43.07 | 59,644 |
Top companies hiring civil/structural engineers now:
Which companies pay civil/structural engineers the most?
Civil/structural engineer salaries at BP America Inc and American Tower are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average civil/structural engineer salary at companies like Pacifi and Texas Instruments are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BP America Inc | $128,389 | $61.73 |
| 2 | American Tower | $111,635 | $53.67 |
| 3 | Pacifi | $102,650 | $49.35 |
| 4 | Texas Instruments | $102,045 | $49.06 |
| 5 | Constellation Energy Partners | $98,773 | $47.49 |
| 6 | Parsons | $97,816 | $47.03 |
| 7 | Chevron | $97,335 | $46.80 |
| 8 | Technip USA Corporation | $96,613 | $46.45 |
| 9 | McDermott International | $94,809 | $45.58 |
| 10 | Nucor | $94,392 | $45.38 |
| 11 | Westinghouse Appliances Australia | $92,067 | $44.26 |
| 12 | Woods Services | $91,105 | $43.80 |
| 13 | Koch Industries | $88,549 | $42.57 |
| 14 | PSEG | $87,935 | $42.28 |
| 15 | Fluor Corporation | $87,208 | $41.93 |
| 16 | Areva Np | $87,002 | $41.83 |
| 17 | BWX Technologies | $86,024 | $41.36 |
| 18 | Rimkus Consulting Group | $85,998 | $41.35 |
| 19 | Burns & McDonnell | $85,827 | $41.26 |
| 20 | Sierra Lobo | $85,110 | $40.92 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Civil/Structural Engineer salary by industry
The average civil/structural engineer salary varies across industries:
- The average civil/structural engineer salary in the energy industry is $80,624, the highest of any industry.
- The average civil/structural engineer salary in the finance industry is $79,726.
- Civil/structural engineers in the construction industry earn an average salary of $79,049, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for civil/structural engineers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Energy | $80,624 | $38.76 |
| 2 | Professional | $79,726 | $38.33 |
| 3 | Technology | $79,528 | $38.23 |
| 4 | Construction | $79,049 | $38.00 |
High paying civil/structural engineer jobs
Civil/structural engineer salary trends
The average civil/structural engineer salary has risen by $8,890 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average civil/structural engineer earned $65,531 annually, but today, they earn $74,421 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for civil/structural engineers over the last decade.
Compare civil/structural engineer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average civil/structural engineer salary over time
Compare civil/structural engineer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Civil/structural engineer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $74,400 | $35.78 | +1.7% |
| 2024 | $73,200 | $35.17 | +0.5% |
| 2023 | $72,800 | $35.00 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $71,200 | $34.24 | +1.5% |
| 2021 | $70,200 | $33.75 | +1.6% |
Recently added civil/structural engineer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BWX Technologies Inc. | Civil/Structural Engineer | Erwin, TN | 06/30/2025 | $77,000 |
| Enercon | Civil Structural Engineer-Early Career | Kennesaw, GA | 06/29/2025 | $80,000 |
| Graham & Associates | Design Engineer-Civil Structural Engineer | Milton, KS | 06/29/2025 | $70,000 |
| David Evans and Associates | Civil/Structural Substation Engineer | Portland, OR | 06/27/2025 | $103,000 |
| Hargrove Engineers & Constructors | Civil/Structural Senior Engineer | Concord, CA | 06/27/2025 | $166,960 |
| Actalent | Civil/Structural Engineer | Charlotte, NC | 06/27/2025 | $85,000 |
| Actalent | Civil/Structural Engineer | Albany, NY | 06/27/2025 | $135,446 |
| SGH | Civil/Structural Engineering-Seismic, Advanced Analysis, Dynamics, Infrastructure | Newport Beach, CA | 06/26/2025 | $75,920 |
| Parsons | Senior Civil Structural Engineer | Ione, WA | 06/25/2025 | $86,700 |
| Dexian | Civil Structural Engineer | Luling, LA | 06/25/2025 | $166,960 |
Civil/structural engineer salary FAQs
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